Combination carrying handle and retractable handle

ABSTRACT

A combination carrying handle and retractable handle of luggage is provided wherein the carrying handle is provided on the top center while retractable handle is provided within the compartments. This eliminates protruding tubes of prior art retractable handle system, resulting in an aesthetic design. Further, the combination is capable of being either upright to serve as carrying handle/retractable handle when in use or laid down on either side for saving space in storage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to luggage and more particularly toa combination carrying handle and retractable handle of attache case.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Attache cases have been popular among travelers in recent years.Conventionally, a carrying handle is provided on the top center while aretractable handle is provided on the rear. Such dual handle provisionis not aesthetic. Also, retractable handle is redundant and even formedas obstruction when user carries the carrying handle to walk. Thusimprovement is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a combinationcarrying handle and retractable handle of luggage wherein thecombination is upright to serve as carrying handle/retractable handle orlaid down on either side for saving space in storage.

[0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide acombination carrying handle and retractable handle of luggage whereincarrying handle is provided on the top center while retractable handleis provided within the compartments. This eliminates protruding tubes ofprior art retractable handle system, resulting in an aesthetic design.

[0007] To achieve the above and other objects, the present inventionprovides a luggage comprising a main body, two sets of wheels, a handleconsisting of an upper bar and a lower bar, a pair of buttons on twosides of the handle respectively, a bezel for supporting the handle onthe top of luggage, a hinge hinged between two ends of handle and twosides bezel, respectively for effecting the upright or lying position ofhandle, a pair of sliding tubes coupled to the hinge, a pair of supporttubes with the sliding tubes slidable therein, a pair of locking deviceson the lower ends of the sliding tubes, and a pair of connecting deviceshaving upper ends secured to the buttons of the handle and lower endspassed through hinge and the sliding tubes to secure to the lockingdevices wherein the buttons are depressible for effecting the extensionor extraction of the handle, thereby enabling a carrying or towing ofthe luggage.

[0008] The above and other objects, features and advantages of thepresent invention will become apparent from the following detaileddescription taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment ofcombination carrying handle and retractable handle mounted on luggageaccording to the invention;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the FIG. 1 combination carryinghandle and retractable handle;

[0011]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the assembled FIG. 2combination carrying handle and retractable handle;

[0012]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a second preferredembodiment of combination carrying handle and retractable handleaccording to the invention;

[0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled FIG. 2 combinationcarrying handle and retractable handle wherein the combination isupright;

[0014]FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 wherein the combination is laiddown;

[0015]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the combination ofthe first preferred embodiment capable of being laid down on either sideof luggage;

[0016]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the combination ofsecond preferred embodiment laid down on luggage;

[0017]FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the handle system ofthe invention;

[0018]FIG. 10 is another cross-sectional view of FIG. 9;

[0019]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the invention wherein buttonis depressed; and

[0020]FIG. 12 is top schematic view showing the interior features withupper bar removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a combination carrying handleand retractable handle mounted on a luggage in accordance with theinvention wherein carrying handle is provided on the top center whileretractable handle is provided within luggage. This eliminatesprotruding tubes of prior art retractable handle system, resulting in anaesthetic design.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 2, 9 and 11, the handle assembly comprises ahandle 10 consisting of an upper bar 10 a and a lower bar 10 b, a bezel20 for supporting the handle 10 on the luggage, a hinge 30 hingedbetween two ends of handle 10 for effecting the upright or lyingposition of handle 10, a pair of sliding tubes 40 coupled to the hinge30, a pair of support tubes 50 with the sliding tubes 40 slidabletherein, a pair of locking devices 60 on the lower ends of the slidingtubes 40, and a pair of connecting devices 70. Upper bar 10 a isgenerally oval shape comprising a center hole 101 (see FIG. 11), athrough hole 102 on either side, a slot 103 on either side, and a firstpivot member 104 on either side having a first through aperture 105 a.Lower bar 10 b is a mating member of upper bar 10 a. Lower bar 10 bcomprises a center pin 106 having a gear 12 put on, a hole 107 on eitherside, a protruded arcuate groove 108 on either side, a pair of blocks108 b having groove 108 sandwiched therebetween on either side, and asecond downward extended pivot member 109 on either side having a secondthrough aperture 105 b. Button 11 is provided on slot 103 of upper bar10 a being engaged with groove 108 of lower bar 10 b (see FIGS. 2 and11). Button 11 comprises an actuation member 110 shaped as cutout partof upper bar 10 a, an opening 111, an extension 112 on the internal end,a toothed member 113 on the extension 112 engaged with the gear 12 suchthat one button 11 and one connecting device 70 on the same side iscapable of being actuated by the actuation of the other button 11 on theother side, and a recess 114 on a slope connected between opening 111and actuation member 110.

[0023] Connecting device 70 comprises a cable section 71, a firstengagement member 72, a second engagement member 73, and a connectingcable 74. Preferably, cable section 71 and connecting cable 74 are madeof steel. Upper enlargement 711 is secured to the recess 114 of button11, while lower enlargement 712 is secured to the recess 7211 of firstengagement member 72. First engagement member 72 and second engagementmember 73 are pivotably engaged. First engagement member 72 comprises athin body 721 having a recess 7211 and a slit 7212 such that lowerenlargement 712 is secured to the recess 7211 through a slit 7212 and ahalf-circular lower connecting member 722 having an enlogate hole 7221and a horizontally extending arcuate flange 7222 on the bottom. Secondengagement member 73 comprises a top vertical member 731 having a hook7311 on the end engaged with flange 7222 and a lower body 732 having anelongate hole 7321, an aperture 7322, and a recess 7323. Connectingcable 74 comprises a top hook 741 inserted into aperture 7322 of lowerbody 732 of second engagement member 73 to engage with recess 7323 suchthat connecting cable 74 may not contact with the inner wall of slidingtube 40 during operation and a bottom hook 742 secured to the top oflocking device 60 for either unlocking the locking device 60 whenlocking device 60 is pulled by connecting cable 74 or locking thelocking device 60 when locking device 60 is not pulled by connectingcable 74. Note that locking device 60 is prior art, thus omitting itsdetailed description for the sake of brevity.

[0024] The assembly and operation of the invention will now bedescribed. Button 11 is located on the arcuate portion of handle 10.User may use thumb to press button 11 and other four fingers to holdhandle 10 such that button 11 may move inward as indicated by arrow A(FIG. 11). At the same time, second button 11 is moved inward a smalldistance as well. Then upper enlargement 711 of cable section 71 securedin recess 114 of button 11 is pulled which in turn causes firstengagement member 72 to move upward by lower enlargement 712 of cablesection 71. At the same time, second engagement member 73 is movedupward. As a result, locking device 60 is pulled by connecting cable 74thus unlocking the locking device 60 (FIG. 11). At this state, user maypull the sliding tubes 40 up to a desired position and lock the handleassembly. This is an operating position of luggage. To the contrary,press button 11 again to unlock the lock pin 61 of locking device 60. Atthis state, user may push sliding tubes 40 down to a lowest position andlock the handle assembly again (not further shown).

[0025] Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a second embodiment of hinge30. Correspondingly, an elongate recessed portion 21A is provided onbezel 20A for receiving the body 300 of hinge 30. This design canenhance the structural strength of larger luggage.

[0026] One characteristics of the invention is that the combination iscapable of being upright to serve as carrying handle or retractablehandle or laid down on either side for saving space in storage. Forachieving above purpose, first pivot members 104 of upper bar 10 a andsecond pivot members 109 of lower bar 10 b are formed as arc corner(FIGS. 2-4 and 7). In another configuration as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and8, both first pivot member 104 and second pivot member 109 comprise anarc corners 104 a, 109 a and an about 90-degree corners 104 b, 109 bsuch that handle 10 is only allowed to lay down on one side.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 2, 9 and 11 again, hinge 30 comprises an upperbody and a lower hollow body, the upper body has an upper hole 31 andthe lower hollow body has a vertical aperture 32. A rivet 75 is used tosecure the through aperture 105 a of upper bar 10 a, upper hole 31 ofhinge 30, elongate hole 7221 of first engagement member 72, and throughaperture 105 b of lower bar 10 b together so as to rotatably fix thehinge 30 and the first engagement member 72 between the first and secondpivot members 104 and 109 of upper bar 10 a and lower bar 10 b. As suchrivet 75 is served as pivot pin. Further, a bolt 76 is driven through aside aperture 33 of the lower hollow body of hinge 30, the lower body732 of second engagement member 73, elongate aperture 7321, and top hole41 of sliding tube 40 for securing them together. This may enhances thepivotable movement of handle 10 (i.e., upright or laid down on eitherside). Also, first engagement member 72 is thus vertically movablebetween hinge 30 and through aperture 105 b of lower bar 10 b. Likewise,the vertically movable first engagement member 72 causes secondengagement member 73 to freely move in the vertical aperture 32 of lowerbody. As stated above, first engagement member 72 and second engagementmember 73 are pivotably engaged. As such, handle 10 can be laid down oneither side for saving space while packed for storage.

[0028] In brief, the handle of the invention is a combination ofcarrying handle and retractable handle. That is, user may carry thehandle or tow the handle along the ground when in use. Alternatively,user may lay down the handle on either side for saving storage spacewhen not in use.

[0029] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by meansof specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could bemade thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from thescope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A luggage comprising: a main body; two sets ofwheels; a handle including of an upper bar and a mating lower bar; apair of buttons on two sides of the handle respectively; a bezel forsupporting the handle on the top of body; a pair of hinges hingedbetween two lower ends of the handle and two sides of the bezel,respectively for effecting the upright or the lying position of thehandle; a pair of sliding tubes coupled to the hinge; a pair of supporttubes with the sliding tubes slidable therein; a pair of locking deviceson the lower ends of the sliding tubes; and a pair of connecting deviceshaving upper ends secured to the buttons of the handle and lower endspassed through the hinge and the sliding tubes to secure to the lockingdevices, wherein the buttons are depressible to either cause theconnecting devices to move up to unlock the locking devices such thatthe sliding tubes is operable to pull up to an extended while lockedposition, thereby enabling the handle to serve as retractable handle, orunlock the locking devices for pushing the sliding tubes down to alowest while locked position, thereby enabling the handle to serve ascarrying handle which is capable of being either upright or laid down onboth sides of the luggage.
 2. The luggage of claim 1, wherein the handleis provided on the top center of the luggage.
 3. The luggage of claim 1,wherein the connecting device comprises a first connecting cable made ofsteel including an upper enlargement secured to a recess of the buttonand a lower enlargement, a first engagement member including a thin bodyhaving a recess and a slit such that the lower enlargement of the firstconnecting cable is secured to the recess of the first engagement memberthrough the slit and a half circular lower connecting member having anelongate hole and a horizontally extending arcuate flange on the bottom,a second engagement member including a top vertical member having a topend hook engaged with the flange of the first engagement member and alower body having an elongate hole, an aperture, and a recess, and asecond connecting cable including a top hook inserted into the apertureof the lower body of the second engagement member to engage with recessof the second engagement member and a bottom hook secured to the top ofthe locking device for actuating the locking of the locking device. 4.The luggage of claim 1, wherein the handle further comprises a centerpin and a gear put on the center pin, the button comprises an extensionon the internal end and a toothed member on the extension engaged withthe gear such that one button and one connecting device on the same sideis capable of being actuated by the actuation of the other button on theother side.
 5. The luggage of claim 1, wherein the second engagementmember is pivotably engaged with the first engagement member in thehinge.
 6. The luggage of claim 3, wherein the first connecting cable isa flexible steel wire and the second connecting cable is a rigid steelrod.